Discusses stress among child-care professionals. Lists major items contributing to job stress, and includes a self-test to determine coping style. Identifies 4 primary coping strategies, and discusses the top 11 coping strategies used by child-care professionals. (ET)

Discusses the importance of assessing camp staff attitudes, the nature of attitudes, and how attitudes are formed. Recommends Likert scales as effective in measuring the direction and strength of an attitude, identifying the object of an attitude, and detecting how an attitude was formed. Provides guidelines for developing a Likert scale and…

The first of a three-part series for college union and student activities managers and operators, provides information to managers about how to relate better to today's college student employees and make college unions more productive. (EV)

This article explores indicators which will reveal if organizations are ready to deal with the change implied in undertaking a quality circle (QC) program. It discusses characteristics of successful QC programs and lists readiness indicators which include internal project staffing, openness from management, time commitment, and financial…

Presents an evaluation design which, because of its simplicity and the ease with which the data collected may be analyzed, is ideal for use in the "real world" as a practical method for evaluating the impact of training on employee behavior. (CT)

Lists 36 tangible ways that child care directors can motivate staff through showing them respect and appreciation. Included are suggestions related to publicly acknowledging staff expertise and training, organizing events for team bonding, recognizing and using staff members' talents, and providing space for organization and planning. (KB)

Camp program staff and service staff can "war" and negatively affect campers. Frequent causes are misunderstood roles, conflicting expectations, jealousy, and feelings of being undervalued. Presents ideas for integrating program and service staff in the off season, when staff arrive, and during camp, and for dealing with a "civil…

Describes use of quality circles (QC)--small groups of employees who meet regularly and voluntarily to identify, solve, and implement solutions to work-related problems--as a form of participative decision making, highlighting QC concept, establishing a QC, introduction process, management support, benefits, evaluation, and shortcomings. Thirteen…

Learning to interact positively with personality-challenged individuals will result in a more productive work and home life. A behavioral-styles model, and the effect of conflict on the personality types in the model, are displayed in figures and text. Case studies demonstrate successful interaction strategies. (MLF)

Discussion of human performance technology tools for instructional design focuses on incentives and competence. Highlights include quality, organizational goals, feedback, employee attitudes, working conditions, deadlines, standards, training, a balance of forces, and partnerships. (AEF)

This paper examines a vareity of individual, group, and organizational communication skills for dealing with job burnout. Primary emphasis is placed on techniques for: (1) gaining perspective; (2) resolving substantive and affective conflict; (3) developing social support systems; and (4) increasing constructive feedback and employee control.…

Exit questionnaires are mailed to Cobb County, Georgia teachers and administrators who are leaving their jobs. The information gives the school board a chance to identify problems and take corrective action. Topics covered in the questionnaire are included. (MLF)

This paper lists the basic or foundation skills that future citizens must have, according to the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills: communications skills, mathematical skills, problem-solving and decision-making skills, and personal traits such as responsibility, self-esteem, and self-management. It then shows how these skills…

Discusses the issue of staff turnover in the child care profession. Focuses on characteristics of child care centers that provide a high quality learning environment for young children and in which employees choose to stay. (GLR)

Suggests the use of timely communication through feedback for the purpose of boosting staff morale. Managers can cause employees to motivate themselves by restructuring jobs to satisfy employees' needs, by using artful criticism, and by asking employees about morale. Includes a list of key ingredients of a satisfying job. (SH)